


The Lost Link [Haikyuu in The World of Avatar]

by Azidy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Avatar: The Last Airbender References, Bending (Avatar), Bending Academy, Character Development, Developing Relationship, F/F, Ice Prince, Implied Relationships, M/M, New Abilities, Post-Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Saving the World, Spirits, The Spirit World
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-08-23 12:08:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20242618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azidy/pseuds/Azidy
Summary: [The World of Avatar, 150 years after Korra's connection to Raava had been severed]The first time Hajime laid eyes on the sad-looking brunet was during his second year at ADEA. He had enrolled at the academy at 14, right after leaving elementary school. His parents had also been students in their youth and Hajime never imagined a different future for himself. In the months that followed, he had made many friends, his earthbending improved quite a bit and he was now an Earthbender that most of his generation recognised and respected. So when the young Earthbender stood proudly in his green and brown uniform, waiting with his fellow students for the arrival of new applicants, he couldn't stop staring at a tall and slender boy with dark brown hair.The brunet seemed completely disinterested. His were the only eyes staring at the ground in-between his feet, as if everything around him just didn’t concern him.It was his original intent to try and scout potential sparring partners as he had grown bored of always practicing with the same people. And yet, he barely gave anyone else a second of his time as his gaze kept dropping onto the out-of-place brunet. He wouldn’t learn his name for almost a year.





	1. The Ice Prince

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LindenTeaWithHoney](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LindenTeaWithHoney/gifts).

**Intro**

After Korra had severed her connection to the previous Avatars and released the spirits into the human world, there's been a disturbance in balance.

It started with the sudden occurrence of new Airbenders all over the world, followed by incidents caused by the spirits that started spreading around the human territories and resulting in havoc and confusion.

The society still felt the consequences of those chaotic few years of Korra's growth as the Avatar. Secret organisations that worked against the government, extremists who wanted to change and control the world, segregation and abuse towards benders or nonbenders. All of these events left an impact on the people who were left scared and confused. After so many corrupt individuals with power to influence the mass, they didn't know whom to trust. Even the Avatar seemed to have lost her way for a while. Korra's days were marked by many disturbances, imbalance and novelties. Her approach was more of a trial-and-error kind. But people wanted safety.

The next avatar in line was an Earthbender named Taon. He was tasked with a gruel challenge from the very beginning as people were eager for a different sort of guidance. Whether it was the people's need for stability that influenced his character, or he was simply that way by nature, the new Avatar exuded confidence in a calm, soothing manner. His wish was only for peace and balance as he devoted his life to finding ways for people to coexist with the spirits, for each nation to nurture their teachings and traditions, and for people to find strength in his existence.

Unfortunately, he couldn't fix everything. During his lengthy life, no wars were fought, not one individual managed to rise to power for their selfish reasons alone and the crime rate dwindled down to normal rates. It seemed like humanity could finally progress in a peaceful manner. Every nation was supposed to focus on progress, raising their youth and teaching them how to hone their bending skills. And it was what every nation intended to do. But with each new generation, fewer and fewer children inherited those abilities. With only a slight decline in Korra's days, during Taon's life, there was a steady drop in the number of benders of all types. By the time his life came to an end, only 1% of the children showed bending skills, many of those unable to perform more than a simple rock lift or a slight breeze. They believed that because of the severed links to the previous Avatars and the imbalance of different worlds, each attribute's power was weakening and in result, the newer generations' abilities were only a glimpse of their ancestors’. He died saddened by the sight of the weak world he had to leave behind.

The Fire Nation, the nation that longed for their lost glory the most, expected great things from their new Avatar. As Taon lived a peaceful and bureaucratic life, no one was exactly sure about the effects this impairment had on the Avatars’s powers.

Taon formed the Academy during his life to encourage people to train there from the masters of each element. Even when born amidst their fellow citizens of a certain nation, there were barely any skilful benders left. Only about 1% of the people ever showed any abilities and most of them never progressed further than child-level bending of Korra’s or Aang’s era. The Academy sought the best practitioners of each element, especially those gifted with special abilities, such as metal or lightning bending.

At its beginning, the Academy of Diverse Elemental Arts (ADEA), received more than a thousand willing applicants. Most of them came from eager families that wished to see their children as strong as their ancestors had been. With the decline of benders being born, people realised that a long history of benders in the family contributed to the odds of having children who also had those powers. No one knew exactly how much of an impact genetics really had, but they couldn’t deny the fact that some families had two or three children who learnt their parents’ bending styles quite easily, whilst some families produced no benders for generations.

This, paired with the very small percentage of benders left in the world, contributed to forming a sort of cult-like behaviour when it came to those with powers. People admired and respected everyone who graduated from ADEA, acknowledging their strengths and talents. Those young people generally didn’t have to worry about their future as every branch of the economy relied heavily on benders in Aang’s time and they were always sought after. Police officers and army officials, professors and academics that continued the ancient teachings, all the way to builders, ecologists, spirit protectors and different industrial workers. All of them required gifted individuals that were hard to come by.

ADEA flourished in its first years as the younger generations were eager to achieve former greatness and glory. Taon’s contemporaries and fellow founders of the Academy had an additional reason for promoting ADEA. Not only was it meant to nurture the next generation, they also believed it would be ideal for the young benders to find a spouse, regardless of attribute, which would increase the odds of keeping the already low percentage in balance. Aside for the questionable morality behind their reasoning, the plan seemed to be working well. ADEA managed to push forward with a few hundred students at any given year, even after Taon’s death. The only problem was that their criteria for accepting new students seemed to lower with each generation. Almost anyone with slightly above-average abilities or just glimpses of special bending powers got accepted. That was the state in which ADEA was, a hundred and fifty years after Korra’s ties to the previous Avatars got severed.

The next Avatar, a young Firebender named Ushijima, firmly believed it was more important than ever to find and train as many gifted children as possible. He took it as his own mission, as well as his duty as the Avatar, to personally visit each minor between the ages of 12 and 18. He travelled all across the world, claiming he had the power to sense the talent residing in every person. And whilst people found him unusual and even crazy, no one could deny that the students he had picked became as powerful as he had promised. After that, no one questioned his motives and everyone who had ended up on his list become a student at ADEA. With no exception. 

...

_The World of Avatar, 150 years after Korra's connection to Raava had been severed_

The first time Hajime laid eyes on the sad-looking brunet was during his second year at ADEA. He had enrolled at the academy at 14, right after leaving elementary school. His parents had also been students in their youth and Hajime never imagined a different future for himself. His goal was to try his best to get enlisted, improve his bending skills and meet other benders from all over the country. In the months that followed, he had made many friends, his earthbending improved quite a bit and he was now an Earthbender that most of his generation recognised and respected. So when the young Earthbender stood proudly in his green and brown uniform, waiting with his fellow students for the arrival of new applicants, he couldn't stop staring at a tall and slender boy with dark brown hair. The newcomer was dressed in a simple attire, a long sleeved white T-shirt and blue pants, the tips of his hair covering his face. The rest of the boy’s company spent every second admiring the grounds of ADEA – its magnificent five-storey main building made exclusively from white marble, four two-storey pavilions positioned at the southern, eastern, western and northern exists, a giant courtyard with various obstacle courses, sparring arenas and sports courts, topping it off with a dozen or so buildings of various sizes that provided the students with everything else they could need, ranging from stores and cafes, to indoor gyms and private training rooms.

Everyone’s eyes kept jumping from one impressive building to another, the Academy appearing almost as a dream come true to most. That’s exactly how Hajime had felt standing in their spot exactly one year earlier. Instead, the brunet seemed completely disinterested. His were the only eyes staring at the ground in-between his feet, as if everything around him just didn’t concern him. Hajime quickly glanced around the other arrivals, most of them enthusiastic 14-year-olds that came from good families like his own, kids that dreamed of coming to ADEA ever since they had awaken their abilities. Their smiles and excitement was evident, finally making their hard work and effort produce results. There was about fifty of them in total and judging by the colour of their clothes, it seemed as though there was a similar number of Water-, Fire-, Earth- and Airbenders alike. Hajime could also spot those with confident smirks and detained ecstasy, showing everyone how they were used to this sort of treatment and deserved to be there. It was his original intent to try and scout potential sparring partners as he had grown bored of always practicing with the same people. And yet, he barely gave anyone else a second of his time as his gaze kept dropping onto the out-of-place brunet. He wouldn’t learn his name for almost a year.

...

“Get him, Iwaizumi!” A tall guy with short, light-brown hair yelled out to his friend.

Hajime’s brow was furrowed in concentration as he traced the surface of the ground with his hands, elevating small chunks of rocks in the process. There was at least a dozen head-sized pieces floating in the air under his command, ready to fire at any second. His opponent, a 1st year student from the Fire Kingdom, watched him carefully and swept a few misplaced black strands of hair away from his face.

“Kageyama, if you lose, you’re buying me lunch this entire week!” A short, energetic Airbender with messy orange hair and a huge grin on his face, yelled out to cheer for his friend.

“Shut up, you idiot!” The raven haired boy yelled back, focusing his deep blue eyes on the rocks that were just a few metres away from him.

As if some invisible force gave them a signal to start, both boys sprang into action as Hajime’s boulders flew straight for Kageyama. The young Firebender used the red and orange flames blasting from his hands and feet to propel himself sideways and avoid the first few rocks. But the boulders just kept coming as Hajime propelled more and more of them towards his opponent, yet not one of them hit their mark. Kageyama jumped around the court effortlessly, using his flames only to swiftly move away from the incoming projectors. Once the last boulder flew just centimetres from his face, Kageyama switched to offence and turned his flames a light indigo colour which made a few of the observers gasp in surprise.

Hajime realised what was happening and already stomped hard on the ground using his right leg and lifting his arms upwards to create a physical wall about three metres tall and wide right in-between them. With not a second to spare, the younger boy sent a barrage of fiery attacks at Iwaizumi, the blue and purple flames hitting the wall and enveloping the entire surface of the rock.

Hajime’s brown eyes reflected the blue fire as the wall he had created heated up to unbearable temperatures and he had to move away from it quickly. He managed to gather up enough stone to create a small shield which followed his movements and ran from behind the cover, charging at his opponent.

Kageyama smirked at the sight and ran straight towards his sparring partner, hands already spewing small yellow and green flames. The Earthbender successfully blocked the incoming fire with his shield and was already forming two bigger boulders behind his back, but Kageyama was already in front of him. The Firebender rolled onto the ground to avoid the builders and aimed at the other boy’s legs, but Hajime managed to pull a layer of rocks to serve as body armour, his legs adorned with a pair or stony boots. Kageyama seemed to be waiting for this moment as he hopped into the air, did a quick fiery spin to gain momentum and kicked Hajime hard in the chest. His feet still stuck in his makeshift footwear, the Earthbender had no way to soften the blow and landed on the ground with a loud _thump. _A roar of laughter broke out from the audience.

The winner received a few pats on the back and a high-five from the enthusiastic redhead, leaving Hajime on the ground with a small smirk. The Earthbender winced internally, partly from the pain in his chest, but also from the embarrassment of losing to a younger student. But if there was someone to lose to, it might as well had been the star pupil of the generation.

“You okay there?” Hanamaki asked him, his beady eyes staring at his friend’s slightly scorched yellow T-shirt. Iwaizumi groaned in response, using both of his hands to undo his boots and lie down completely.

“Any healing dudes around? Water Tribe people? Can you sprinkle some water onto him?” Hanamaki asked in disinterest, completely aware of the minor injury his friend had received and using the opportunity to make him suffer even more.

“There’s one over here!” Someone in a red uniform yelled out behind them, harshly nudging a brunet in white and blue and pushing him forward. Hajime was about to protest how he didn’t need treatment, but his eyes land on the same boy he had seen a year earlier, staring at his own feet. Hajime’s eyes raised in surprise as he had rarely seen the other boy outside of the main lecture hall and never in bigger crowds like these. The embarrassed Waterbender blushed slightly and seemed he’d rather be anywhere else than in the centre of everyone’s attention.

“Can you heal him?” Iwaizumi’s friend asked with no ill intentions, but the brunet tensed at the question and Hajime was seriously wondering what was wrong with that kid.

“N-No, I, I really shouldn’t… someone, someone else should…” He muttered quietly, but someone yelled how they had seen him take a healing class and there seemed to be no way out of it anymore. Hajime felt like he couldn’t breathe as his dark brown eyes landed on the Waterbender’s chocolaty ones, recognising the other boy’s fear and reluctance.

“I’m sorry, I really don’t think I-” The brunet started saying, but the same guy that pushed him towards Hajime now took his own bottle and started pouring out the water right above the injured boy’s chest. Iwaizumi was about to protest in annoyance when the Waterbender’s reflexes kicked in and he quickly took control of the liquid, every single droplet from the bottle immediately under his command. But the second his bending interacted with the water, it turned into a growing formation of ice. Every single molecule now existing in its solid form, reaching up towards the bottle that burst with a loud _bam _as the ice inside it expanded. Hajime looked down at his chest, his eyes widening in horror as an icicle spear with its tip as thin as a needle stopped only a few millimetres from his skin. One inhale and the cold dagger would easily pierce his flesh.

The silence around them was unbearable, everyone’s mouths just opened in shock as they stared at the strange sight in front of them. Hajime held his breath and looked at the boy who almost killed him, confused as to what could had caused this aggressive display. But the Waterbender’s face was full of pain and regret as he stared into his shaking hands. The next instant, yelling and shouting arose from about a dozen or so observers, their rage and confusion directed at only one person. Before anyone could reach him, his chocolate-brown eyes filled with sadness as he gently pulled the ice away from Hajime and created a wall of ice behind him as he ran away from the court. Iwaizumi could breathe again.

Hajime stopped by the ever-busy healing station located in-between the sports fields and sparring courts. He waited for a few minutes until a smiling woman in her fifties invited him in. Almost every student ended up in need of medical attention at some point during their training, which is why there was always at least one Waterbender with healing abilities available at any given moment. He laid down on one of the made beds inside her office, removing his scorched T-shirt with a small wince. She looked at his injury with a knowing frown, too experienced to ask about the details as it was more than apparent that he had gotten his butt kicked by some Firebender. She gently lifted some water from a nearby basin, placing it over his chest and immediately soothing the burn. She closed her eyes, completely focused on the tiny droplets dancing around Hajime’s skin, making him forget about the pain and humiliation. Ten or so minutes later, he was free to leave after signing a document stating the circumstances of getting his injury.

Hajime hesitated for a moment, torn between returning to Hanamaki who was probably waiting for him somewhere, and making a really stupid decision that he knew he would regret. Biting the inside of his cheeks, he cursed under his breath and started walking in the opposite direction of the courtyards, towards the Waterbenders’ pavilion.

The four types of benders each resided in their own buildings and the Waterbenders’ was located in the far south of the Academy grounds. Every pavilion consisted of two upper floors with personal rooms, small kitchens, bathrooms and entertainment rooms where students spent time with their friends. The main entrance to the building led to an open ground floor with the reception desk, staircases leading upstairs and a spacious area with sofas, TV’s, game sets, stereos and everything else students could want or need. The ground floor of each pavilion was accessible to all students, regardless of attribute, but only Waterbenders were allowed on the upper floors of their building.

Hajime couldn’t recall if he had ever seen the Waterbenders’ ground floor common room, but he had seen his own and Hanamaki’s, which basically only differed in the colour of their décor. Still questioning his judgment, he stepped through the automatic sliding-doors and looked around the spacious white and blue room. There were students of all ages and genders sitting on the comfy sofas, chatting and playing games, with peaceful music playing in the background. The dark-haired boy looked around, a part of him hoping to spot the guy that had almost pierced his chest with an icicle, but the other part was relieved that he couldn’t find him. He was about to walk back outside, when a familiar voice called out to him.

“Iwaizumi-_chaaaaan, _I heard you got barbequed by some freshman!” A tall upperclassman with broad shoulders and strong arms called out to him. Hajime was already annoyed, even before Bokuto started lifting his grey eyebrows and smirking with his entire face.

“You know quite well he’s not _some _freshman, Bokuto-senpai.” Hajime responded with a straight face, but there was nothing that could lessen the joy of the black and grey-haired Earthbender.

“Oho? It’s rare to see you so impressed with someone. But seriously, you’re embarrassing us, an Earthbender losing to someone younger than them, a _Fire_bender at that. Hmmmm?” Hajime would stuff his senpai’s face full of rocks, if Bokuto wasn’t not only the best bender across the entirety of the 3rd year students, but also the Earthbending ace. Hajime groaned in response.

“Why are you here, Earthbender?” A messy-haired boy with dark blue eyes and an uninterested stare interrupted his friend’s boasting and quickly introduced himself. Akaashi was wearing a Waterbender’s uniform and Hajime couldn’t think of a better excuse so he asked if they knew about a Waterbender with side-swept brown hair and chocolate-brown eyes who was as about as tall as himself. The older boys looked at each other, probably thinking of a least a dozen people who fit that description.

“Why do you need this dude?”

“I think he was trying to heal me after the duel but almost pierced me with a metre-long spear made of ice…” Hajime mumbled quietly, but a flash of recognition was apparent on the Waterbender’s face.

“Ah, the Ice Prince…”

Hajime stared at Akaashi who shared a nod and a small grin with some Waterbenders that overheard their conversation.

“The _Ice Prince_? Is that a nickname or something?”

“You bet. Don’t blame him for almost killing you, the poor kid can’t help it. He’s the only Waterbender in the planet who can’t actually bend _water_. He’s really good with ice though, if that’s any conciliation.”

Hajime left the building after quickly saying goodbye to the other guys. That was when he realised what the shy Waterbender had been trying to tell him, how he really shouldn’t be the one trying to heal his wound. Unless he was mistaken, the turning-the-water-into-ice-and-almost-killing-him part was almost definitely just a mistake and panic at work. Which is how he rationalised with himself, spending the next week stalking different Waterbenders until he figured out when mandatory lectures for them were being held. Five days later and he was patiently waiting by the entrance to the lecture hall where the Water Healing lecture was just about to end.

Students poured out of the room, most of them dressed in blue and white, but Hajime spotted a few Firebenders who had also attended the lecture. He was about to give up when practically everyone had left through the doors, but his eyes spotted the familiar brown-haired boy, this time wearing a pair of glasses with black frames which suited his gentle face really well. The _Ice Prince _lifted his gaze from a book he was carrying and almost dropped it when his worst nightmare, an Earthbender dressed in green and yellow he had almost killed a week earlier. He really tried to run away.

“No, wait! Just, I just wanna talk.” Hajime called out to him, running through the crowd of students that stared at the two of them.

“Look. I’m really sorry about last week. I really didn’t mean to hurt you. Okay, bye.” The Waterbender was already outside of the building but Hajime couldn’t bear the sneaking around and spying on other students again just to locate this Ice Prince. He slammed his feet onto the ground and erected metre-high walls around the confused brunet. The Waterbender looked like he was about to crawl into the ground and burry himself alive, just so he could avoid the whispers and stares from a decent-sized group of kids gathered around his little fortress.

“Fine.” He said, defeated and eager to leave the open area. “Come with me.” Hajime happily obliged.

The Waterbender easily jumped across the rocky walls and started walking towards one of the southern buildings of the compound. He didn’t even turn around to see if the other boy was following him or not, but both of them reached the building Hajime had never been inside of. He looked around the unfamiliar interior, walls lined with pots and bottles of various colour and size. The upper floor contained dozens of types of dried herbs, all of them stored in their rightful containers and labelled with names, dates and student signatures. The next few floors were filled with different growing herbs, flowers and weeds, their different scents filling Hajime’s nostrils and almost making him dizzy. They continued upwards, reaching the flat roof which served as a greenhouse, filled with more plants than Hajime knew existed. He’d never even bothered getting into Botany.

“How did you find me?” The brunet asked in a flat voice, sitting down on one of the benches underneath the countless vines of some plant that swirled around the planks positioned above them.

“When we were at the courtyard, someone mentioned you took Healing classes.” The Earthbender set on a different bench, staring at the sight around them. Sheltered by the vines and the greenery, it would be really hard to spot someone on the roof while standing on the ground, but it was more than easy to see half the courts and fields from up there.

The brunet smiled slightly, probably aware of how many Healing lectures were held a week, with him only able to come on Monday’s, which meant the Earthbender had a gruel task of waiting in front of the classroom multiple times a week until he picked the right day and time. “Asking around in my pavilion didn’t get you far?”

Hajime froze for a second, but heard no ill intent in the other boy’s words and decided to play along. “Most of your fellow Waterbenders don’t even know your name.”

A small smile, just a corner of his lips lifting upwards, but Hajime noticed it. “I don’t know, Ice Prince kinda grew on me, you know?” The next smile was obviously fake, nothing but tired eyes and pearl-white teeth staring at the Earthbender.

“Who are you?”

“Who are _you, _Iwaizumi-san?” The Waterbender asked back, staring at Hajime through his glasses and, instead of the shy boy he had expected, a pair of chocolaty-brown eyes seemed to pierce straight through the Earthbender, waiting to see if it was another joke someone decided to play on him.

“I’m… I saw you. Last year. At the entrance ceremony.” The brunet lifted his eyebrows in surprise, waiting for Hajime to continue. “You were the only kid staring at the floor.”

The Waterbender was taken aback, but something in his eyes softened up as he seemed to think Hajime had passed his test. “Oikawa Tooru. Oikawa is fine. Unless you wanna keep calling me Ice Prince.”

“Oikawa… Oh, you can call me Iwaizumi then.” Hajime extended his hand towards the other boy and was greeted by Oikawa soft, but cold touch.

“So? What did you wanna talk about?” Oikawa asked casually, playing with a delicate pink flower next to his feet.

“You know, your personality is completely different from when we met.”

“It’s easier this way.”

“What is?”

“For them to avoid me.”

“You want people to avoid you? Why?”

“I don’t like them.”

“Anyone?!”

“Mhm, pretty much.”

“But why are you here then?”

“The Avatar does not take no for an answer.” Hajime looked into Oikawa’s eyes clearly confirming the truthfulness of his words.

“So let me get this straight. Ushijima handpicked you to join ADEA, but you hate it here so this is your form of protest? I mean, is it really that bad?”

“You are one of the best Earthbenders of your generation. Your build is perfect for your attribute, you’re good at both offensive and defensive moves, but you tend to rush things instead of using your head. You’re surrounded by friends from different places and even the upperclassmen know who you are and respect you. My guess is that you’re from a good family, your parents also went to ADEA which is where they met. You have a nice life, a big house, good income, maybe even a sibling who is also a bender. How far off am I?”

Hajime stared at Oikawa, bewildered and at a loss for words. “I don’t have any siblings…” was the only thing he could mutter and Oikawa smiled honestly.

“I know this place was just designed for people to like it. It’s got everything you’d want. Best education for young benders. A good career practically waiting for you the second you get your diploma. I just never wanted to be a part of it. No one in my family had any bending abilities for centuries. It was enough they thought I was a freak, but I’m from a small village in the east, with no benders at all. Everyone agreed I don’t belong there. But when they heard I couldn’t control water for the life of me, they kinda backed off. I was in no way special, just a kid who could make ice cubes in the summer. I was already in high school, perfectly happy with living a normal life, when _he _showed up and shoved his palm on top of my head and thought he saw _something. _That I’m gonna be super important. And I had to leave my family, my village, and come here, just so everyone could laugh at a Waterbender that can’t bend water.”

“At_ all?_” Instead of a verbal response, Oikawa got up to retrieve a small sprinkler from a nearby shelf. He angled it towards a small yellow flower in one of the pots, sprinkling the gentle petals with shiny droplets of water. He used his other hand to stop the water as it was dripping towards the soil and it immediately turned into ice. He swayed his fingers delicately, twirling them around the flower that was now completely frozen and still. He added more water from the sprinkler and it too froze on the spot, encasing the entirety of the flower in ice and molding it to create petals that mimicked those of the plant. In just a few seconds, Oikawa had created an icy sculpture whose man-made petals continued onto the yellow ones of the flower, creating something so detailed and perfect that Hajime didn’t know was possible for any bender. “At all.”

“B-But that’s amazing, look at it, it’s perfect! Your control of ice!” The Earthbender innocently blurted out, still gazing at the icy miracle that didn’t show any hints of melting as long as it remained in the brunet’s hand.

“This Academy, just like the rest of this world, only works for those that fit its image and ideals. The society wants powerful benders to pretend we aren’t completely losing our power over the last one hundred years. The second you show up in public wearing the official uniform, everyone looks at you with pride, thinking: _these kids will save us one day_. They like people who are special, gifted, but also predictable, that fit into these boxes they like so much. I’m not like that. I’m special, just the wrong _kind _of special.”

“I mean, I don’t really know what you mean, but people here aren’t that special. Just better at bending than anyone else, I think.”

“That kid that beat you last week? Kageyama?”

“Okay, except that one.” Oikawa smiled at Iwaizumi’s eye-roll.

“A genius Firebender that can change the colour and temperature of his flames, but is also really athletic and smart in combat. He’s perfect for this world. I am a guy who can freeze flowers and make icicles that can stab people who I didn’t wanna stab.” He let out a big sigh and shattered the flower figurine in his hands before Hajime could even blink.

“So you’re saying, you _didn’t _want to stab _me_?” Hajime asked playfully and earned a small ice-cube thrown into his face.


	2. Shackled Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t hate him for this.”
> 
> Oikawa turned around to find the person the soft voice belonged to, his eyes catching sight of a short blonde who was unexpectedly standing right beside him. She didn’t even reach his shoulders, her build small and delicate with golden hair that reached her chin. The young girl was dressed in a yellow dress with a red collar and sleeves, her big brown eyes staring in the same direction as Oikawa’s.
> 
> “Why wouldn’t I? I hate everyone else around here and he’s obviously no different from them.” Oikawa replied with resentment in his voice, feeling betrayed, but unable to figure out why.
> 
> “He didn’t have a choice.” The girl said quietly and the Earthbender was about to snap at her, completely forgetting about his previous avoidance of confrontation, but he looked into her soft eyes which were filled with genuine sorrow, stopping himself.

For the next couple of weeks, the young Waterbender got used to seeing the familiar patch of brown hair and a pair of broad, sturdy shoulders waiting for him every Monday afternoon. They would meet up on the same rooftop, amongst the numerous flowering plants and persistent sunrays finding their way through the vines above their heads. Neither of them explicitly suggested the next meet-up, but the greenhouse had always been a quiet hiding place for Oikawa and surprisingly, he didn’t mind the occasional company of this particular Earthbender.

At first they talked about their lives prior to their arrival to ADEA. Iwaizumi got over the initial embarrassment over the brunet’s more than accurate analysis of his life, openly speaking about his past and life in the capital of the Earth Kingdom. Oikawa teased him at times, but also found joy in listening to an honest boy’s way of trying not to brag about his good fortunes. Other times, Oikawa would talk about his family in the east, their small farm and horses. Hajime still couldn’t picture the Waterbender on a horse, galloping through the forest, but the brunet swore it was true, with a playful smirk on his face.

Oikawa was reluctant at first, still occasionally resorting to his sarcastic remarks and continuously refusing to speak to anyone else as his real self. After a few weeks, even the Waterbender’s frozen social skills began to melt as he smiled more in an honest way, painting a pretty picture with his chocolaty eyes narrowed in amusement. He really started believing how, in a place with hundreds of kids from all over the world, one could exist that wasn’t all that bad. He was becoming more and more convinced how not stabbing the easy-going Earthbender had indeed been the right decision. He showed Iwaizumi his icebending powers, creating figurines of every shape and form the impressed observer could think of. The Earthbender even tried copying the brunet, moulding some soil in his strong hands, but never producing more than an unorganised chunk of dirt. Oikawa laughed that entire evening.

Two months after their first conversation, on a Monday afternoon like usual, the brunet was walking up and down the greenhouse, making sure all of the flowers were properly watered and well-cared for. He barely noticed the sun already low on the horizon, checking his watch and confirming that Iwaizumi was indeed late. Two more hours passed by and Oikawa returned to the courtyards, slightly annoyed and confused over the other boy’s absence. He grabbed some dinner at the main cafeteria, leaving most of the food untouched on the plate, unable to shake off a feeling of uneasiness crawling down his spine.

He exited the well-lit dining room area and walked quietly across the central part of ADEA, crossing a road with several cars parked - the expensive type with tinted windows and chauffeurs patiently waiting in the driver seats. He wasn’t particularly surprised with the sight as students enjoyed every luxury they could think of, including fancy rides to the nearby city in their free time. This extravagancy only furthered the reputation the Academy had in the eyes of the other citizens, all of them impressed and amazed when a sleek black limousine pulls over in front of one of the most popular night clubs or restaurants in town, bringing its extremely important young guests to their destination.

What did surprise him though, or completely mortify him, was the approach of a familiar face in an outfit Oikawa could never picture him wearing. An expensive-looking black suit, perfectly hugging the dark-haired boy’s hips and shoulders – definitely custom-tailored to fit his bulky build. Underneath it was a pristine-white shirt with small black buttons down its front and a beautiful tie, the colour of perfectly-polished emeralds, accentuating the Earthbender’s green eyes. Oikawa stared with his mouth agape at the boy with whom he’d sat for hours on mud-filled benches, surrounded by pots and flowers and breathing in the smell of wet soil. Now, that same boy obliviously stood some twenty metres away from the shocked Waterbender, gently combing his hair which looked professionally styled.

Oikawa almost recovered from the sight in front of him, when someone joined the older-looking boy in front of a parked limo and exchanged greetings with Iwaizumi. The brunet felt like he was hit by a truck when the Earthbender approached the other person, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and opening the doors for her. She thanked him and looked behind them, at something right next to where Oikawa was standing all along and he immediately recognised the woman. Shimizu Kiyoko. In a gorgeous floor-length gown the colour of a stormy ocean, her silky black hair fastened with dozens of tiny pearly, making her seem very godlike when surrounded by strong street lights. Her long legs moved gracefully in high stilettos as she effortlessly entered the car and clasped her hands around a small black purse that sparkled like diamonds in the night. Oikawa wished for rain at that moment so he could freeze the car in its tracks and end this torture.

“Don’t hate him for this.”

Oikawa turned around to find the person the soft voice belonged to, his eyes catching sight of a short blonde who was unexpectedly standing right beside him. She didn’t even reach his shoulders, her build small and delicate with golden hair that reached her chin. The young girl was dressed in a yellow dress with a red collar and sleeves, her big brown eyes staring in the same direction as Oikawa’s.

“Why wouldn’t I? I hate everyone else around here and he’s obviously no different from them.” Oikawa replied with resentment in his voice, feeling betrayed, but unable to figure out why.

“He didn’t have a choice.” The girl said quietly and the Earthbender was about to snap at her, completely forgetting about his previous avoidance of confrontation, but he looked into her soft eyes which were filled with genuine sorrow, stopping himself.

“Do I know you?” He asked in confusion, vaguely remembering her soft eyes and light hair, but no other information.

“Oh, sorry. My name is Yachi. I’m a first year student like you. I remember you from the entrance ceremony.” Oikawa paid everyone barely a second of his time at that event, perfectly aware he wouldn’t ever talk to those people. The other thing that bothered him was the fact that there was another person who noticed him at the ceremony and he had a bad feeling about it. Against his better judgment, he followed Yachi after she’d refused to explain herself before getting somewhere more private. _Yeah, that’s what he said as well…_

Yachi brought them towards the eastern buildings of the Academy, the part of the complex with the Airbenders’ residential building and training facilities. Everything from specially designed obstacle courses on the ground to polygons floating in the air where they can fly. She led them to a small yellow building, located in the far east of ADEA, a single-storey house made from stone and wood. The inside was simple, with only a tatami mat on the floor and candles on every window. Yachi sat down and crossed out her legs, leaving her hands on top of her knees.

“What are we-“

“Shhhh… Sit down.”

Oikawa thought this was stupid. No matter how calm and relaxed meditation made the Airbenders, he just wasn’t the type to sit on the floor, clear his mind and feel better. He’d rather freeze someone’s face off. But something in the girl’s careful and uneasy gaze told him to just listen to what she had to say. He tried his best to mimic her pose, sitting in complete silence for a few minutes and already bored to hell.

“Yachi-san, I reall-“

“Just. Don’t. Move.” He bit his tongue and closed his eyes, trying to delete the mental image of Iwaizumi with the most beautiful girl in the entire school. After another few minutes had passed, he was done with this stupid exercise and wanted to go back to his room and never speak to another person again. He tried moving his hands, but they seemed heavier than before. So heavy that he couldn’t move a millimetre. As if something invisible, but definitely real pressed down onto his own body, holding him in place. Panic rose up in his chest, a feeling of being shackled to the ground and bound by a mysterious force. He opened his eyes and cocked his head towards Yachi, but the blonde was peacefully meditating on the floor. Oikawa wanted to scream, yell for help, but no sound manifested in the room. Everything was painfully quiet, only the light breeze howled gently, entering the house and sending shivers down his spine.

He felt something tickle his thigh, a soft breeze comb through his hair and some force lifted a few bangs away from his forehead. He stared in shock as the fingers of his left hand raised slightly as something took his arm and gently swirled it in the air. The Waterbender had full control of his body, he felt every muscle and every limb, but there was something or _someone _lifting, touching, examining him. Something climbed on top of his head, he felt another something’s weight on both of his legs and his arms were surrounded by fur, feathers and scales. Oikawa thought he was going to die.

But then, every sensation that terrified him just a second earlier, all of the weight he had felt on his body, everything disappeared in an instant. He felt like his brain had reset, going from a complete darkness to a world of colour and possibilities. The brunet opened his eyes, soaking in the view as he found himself sitting on the perfectly-soft grass, the sky above him a pale blue colour with fluffy white clouds slowly passing by. He spun around in confusion, gazing at the snowy mountains in the north and the dense forests in the south. Everywhere around him, creatures of different colours and sizes, with wings, tails or fangs, jumped around him excitedly. He approached a mouse-like being with yellow fur and two long tails, but it ran away as soon as he tried petting it.

“They’ll get used to you.” The soft voice came towards him, the same girl now dressed in a simple white dress with short frilly sleeves.

“What… Where… are we?”

“The Spirit World, of course.”

Oikawa looked around, fully taking in the sights as the creatures now gathered around Yachi, completely accepting her presence and rubbing their soft fur against her legs.

“But how did you bring me here?”

“I didn’t. _They _did.” She motioned towards some green feathery lions and a flying lizard that watched him carefully. “I can come here whenever I want to, but I can ask the Spirits to guide someone else’s spirit into this world. They don’t particularly like bringing strangers along, especially those who can’t even see them, but I felt like there were some things you needed to hear.” Her eyes still portrayed the same sadness he had seen outside in the street, but her special powers fascinated him.

“I thought messing with the Spirit World was more of an Avatar thing?”

“Ushijima doesn’t come here often… He is so busy training and searching for new benders that he rarely pays attention to the Spirits…” She gently petted a pair of sheep-like Spirits with soft pink fur and dragon wings.

“So, what did you want to tell me about Iwaizumi? You said that ‘he didn’t have a choice’.”

“Did you meet the Board of Directors?” She asked instead, still playing with the cuddly sheep.

“No. Never heard of them. Who are they?”

“They’re the ones running the Academy. When Avatar Taon was at the end of his life, he needed to leave ADEA to someone that would keep everything in order until the next Avatar becomes capable of it. Unfortunately, they became obsessed with trying to control everything about the already-small population of benders. They give the best professors and most attention to those that come from good families and show the best results, in process trying to get rid of the ones they deem unworthy. Everything that happens on the Academy grounds is recorded and conveyed to the Board, they know and see everything.”

“You’re saying there’s some dudes spying on everyone? On the students? But why? What is the goal?”

“I told you, they just believe it is their duty to produce the best benders in the next generation. If they have to force the kids to spend time with the students they handpicked for them, they don’t see any problems with it. You know how important this school is to every single country. All of the students’ families want to be favoured by the Directors so that their children get better opportunities. Even though they say how everyone who graduates has a bright future ahead of them, the best positions are reserved for the Board’s favourites.”

Oikawa thought about her words and their meaning, about how he had seen the craze over ADEA every time he had been around people, but it was hard to believe that someone could be dictating social relationships and students’ lives to that extent.

“But I’ve never even met them. No one told me what to do.”

“You are a bender that was personally chosen by the Avatar himself. You didn’t pass their entrance exams and your family is irrelevant in their eyes, but they can’t go against Ushijima’s word. No one would oppose the Avatar directly, but there are other ways to make your life more difficult. How did people treat you at the beginning? During the first couple of days?” Oikawa thought back on the misery he had felt at the start of his freshman year, wishing someone had made a mistake about accepting him and he was allowed back to his normal life.

“I don’t know… I know some professors asked about my bending abilities and tried to see if there was anything they could do to help me understand how to control water, but nothing worked and I didn’t care. After a week or two, they gave up and left me alone like I had wanted them to.”

“They wouldn’t just ‘leave you alone’ because you didn’t feel like doing their exercises after a few days. These people are here with the sole purpose of teaching us everything they know. No matter how uninterested you were, it was their job to teach you. They wouldn’t _just_ give up.”

Oikawa tried to remember the details of when that change had occurred, but all he could think of were the memories of his family and the home he longed for.

“How do you know all of this? You know nothing about me! I didn’t want to be here! I would leave if I could, right now. Why would they teach someone who doesn’t wanna be here?! And how could you ever understand that?!” Oikawa raised his voice in frustration and regretted it immediately as twenty or so angered Spirits gathered around the young girl in a protective manner. She shook her head and gently nudged them back towards the soft grass, holding the yellow mouse in her hands as the tiny creature wanted to bare his teeth into Oikawa’s neck.

“You’re not the only one. You knew that, but somehow chose to ignore it. You’re not the only one whose life got turned upside down after an unexpected visit from the most important person on the planet. This Academy is filled with ill-intent and hostility that barely any Spirit even comes here. It took me weeks to find a quiet place where I could call upon them. They hate it here and it wasn’t much different for me either.”

Oikawa recognised the despair in her voice and the longing in her eyes, the feelings he understood better than any other. This girl was just like him, in her own way. She was also taken from her home where she had felt safe, at ease, and brought to this crazy place filled with competitive kids that know of nothing better than of blasting flames from their fists all day. He sat onto the ground, his anger fading away as he accepted her words. One of the fluffy sheep came to test out her luck and nudged his hand with one of her wings.

“That girl, Shimizu? Is she your friend?”

“Oh uhmmmm, she’s a… yeaaaah… we-we’re fr-friends…” Yachi muttered under her breath, a soft blush spreading across her cheek as she coughed to regain her composure.

“So what happened today? With her and Iwaizumi?”

“Ah… This is all I know… Shimizu-senpai got called into the main office building and talked to one of the Directors. I don’t know the exact words, but he mentioned her family and their long history of cooperating with the Academy. Her parents are in charge of a very prestigious Academy in the north that accepts only the most gifted students in the fields of music and art. They are very influential and often employ some of the graduates from ADEA. Shimizu-senpai has been raised to take over the Academy and doesn’t have a lot of choice in the matter. So when they questioned her parents’ and her own future, she had no choice but to do as instructed. The Board felt it was unsightly for her to spend time with an Airbender with no respectable future as my only real talent is communicating with the Spirits. They picked a more _suitable _person for her to spend her time with.”

“Iwaizumi.”

She nodded in confirmation, clearly upset by the information she had just shared, but trying her best not to show just how hurt she really felt.

Oikawa smiled to himself, remembering back to the incident that happened a few weeks earlier where his inability to stop the water from turning into ice almost cost Iwaizumi his life. His family was _insignificant_, his bending abilities unsuited for combat or healing, and now someone thought that he was also responsible for being a bad influence on some rich Earthbender who didn’t even care about Oikawa’s background. He wanted to hate the other boy for standing him up and giving in to someone’s selfish demands, but if Shimizu was threatened with her parents’ safety, he was sure Iwaizumi’s family could suffer the same fate, if their son didn’t play along.

“So, now what? We just let it happen? Can’t we do something? What about Ushijima? Does he know this is happening?”

“There’s not much we can do, I’m afraid… Ushijima spends about twelve hours a day just training, unless he’s out somewhere, looking for new applicants. No one can reach him, especially not a few students with complaints over something we can’t really prove.”

“Is there anything that’s more important than family lines and connections? I can’t really change those…”

Yachi thought about it for a moment and said the only thing she could think of.

“Family history normally determines the abilities and attributes of the benders. There’s not much you can do if someone is a genius by nature and also gets all the help they could get.”

“So you’re saying no one is even paying attention to us because nothing is expected from us. We’re just here so their star students would shine even more… So if that were to change…”

“Wha-What do you mean cha-change? Oikawa-san, I don’t really like where this is going…”

“How do we defeat them? Someone from a fancy family, someone that has special abilities?”

Yachi laughed at his joke for a moment but then realised the brunet wasn’t kidding.

“Wha-What do you mean?”

“Think! What would make the Board of Directors realise their carefully-bred students aren’t any better than some farmboy who can make icicles?”

Yachi’s eyes widened in horror as she realised what the Waterbender had been trying to tell her. Her hands started shaking and she glanced around herself nervously, unsure of whether to even promote this madness. She bit her lip before replying.

“In two months, everyone needs to pass the Final Exam. The first part if theoretical, like a written portion where you show much you’ve learned. The other half is practical. Based on the exam results, students from the same generation pair up and battle each other, showing off their skills in real combat. Your performance in front of the entire school heavily influences your final grade and students of each attribute pick a representative student, regardless of age, someone they think deserves the title of Ace for the next year. But I don’t think that’s-”

“Brilliant! That’s perfect! Yachi-san, we are going to win those battles!” Oikawa jumped upwards, startling the sheep that seemed to like his lap and making it flap her wings to land back safely on the ground.

“WHAAAAT?” Her voice rose in shock as she stared at the enthusiastic brunet with a crazy look in his eyes. “I-I was going to refuse the battle… I-I can’t attack anyone… What if someone gets hurt…”

“Look at me. Do you want to keep hiding in the Spirit World and staring at Shimizu from afar as she wears pretty dresses and goes on dates with Iwaizumi?” Horror spread across Yachi’s face when she pictured the sight of the dressed-up couple and it becoming a daily occurrence. “Or do you want to win?”

…

Oikawa’s days completely changed after meeting Yachi. He realised he had been barely existing at the Academy, attending the mandatory lectures and doing the bare minimum expected of him. Never once had he tried to pay attention, improve his knowledge or abilities, learn from the professors or others students. Luckily for him, the organised Airbender signed up for more subjects than recommended and had no trouble keeping up with them. She was also smart enough to research a variety of different topics, unlike Oikawa whose classes were only about Waterbending. She let him borrow all of her notes on the subjects she was familiar with and even asked some of her Waterbender friends for extra material the overwhelmed brunet needed. He had no idea how to thank her for her immense help, but she seemed to be enjoying the fact that someone needed her assistance with something.

Oikawa tried his best to pay attention and listen to everything that was happening in class and the Waterbender surprised both of them as he had picked up most of it fairly quickly. He still sat in the far back, away from anyone else and refused to socialise, but he tried his best to use it to his advantage and make up for the lost time. Yachi also brought him over to the Spirit World multiple times a week and he grew accustomed to the various Spirits constantly roaming around him. After about a month or so, he was able to calm down, clear his mind and relax his muscles in meditation, which naturally drew the Spirits towards him and transported his own spirit to their world. Their plan was to score as high as possible on the written exam for a chance to battle someone important, although Yachi still refused to agree to participate in the practical part of the test. The problem was, they had no idea how to prepare for it.

Whilst the Spirit World proved to be an excellent place for both studying and talking about sensitive topics away from everyone else’s ears, its downside was the lack of their bending abilities. All of their studying would be completely useless if they couldn’t also show their bending powers. Oikawa hated the very notion of using his abilities in front of other people’s judgmental stares and Yachi was even less confident in her own abilities. Neither of them had ever been shown how to use their bending in the best way, as Yachi had always intended on forfeiting the duel and Oikawa never cared enough to even learn about the Final Exam.

The Waterbender started losing hope, unable to find a secluded area that didn’t involve signing your name on the schedule sheet. After spending day after day with Yachi, going through their study materials and trying not to think of the unsolvable problem, he started thinking about giving up. The Spirit World and its limits started filling him with dread at the thought of the practical exam, wondering whether all of it was even worth the trouble. He enjoyed the Earthbender’s company and hated the whole ordeal with the Directors so his plan made sense at first, but time had its effect and anxious thoughts swirled around in his head. _What if he doesn’t want this, if he doesn’t care whether I win or lose… _

Instead of letting the Airbender see him in that state, he opted for skipping that day’s study session and walked straight towards his old hiding spot. He climbed the familiar stairs and inhaled the smell of blooming flowers, visibly relaxing over the familiarity of his surroundings. He reimagined the meetups he’s had with Iwaizumi, the carefree afternoons spent in laughter and conversation. He looked around, pleased to see that someone had been taking care of the greenhouse even in his absence. The plants seemed to be doing better than ever as the days started getting longer and warmer.

That’s when he spotted it. A beige rock, its colour lighter than the dark soil around it. Oikawa approached it hesitantly, wondering why someone would put rocks into a flower put, but his face turned into a huge smile the moment he had recognised the strange formation. The backside was just a normal stony surface, but turning it around revealed its real shape. Jagged edges around its body, its head way too large and disproportional, but Oikawa managed to discern a pair of beady eyes staring at his surprised face. _He even tried doing the dragon wings… _The young brunet stared at the poorly-made carving of the sheep Spirit he had met, its wings resembling a pair of tennis rackets sticking out of its soft body. For better or worse, Yachi still had some way to communicate with her friend and he felt slightly jealous for a second, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t alone, that was the only thing he needed to know. They really had to start training, but he had no idea where or how. Unexpectedly, Yachi had figured out a way for them to learn.

The young Airbender made a habit of talking to her Spirit friends, even though Oikawa seriously doubted they understood a word she was saying. Nevertheless, both of them had been complaining about their inability to practice in the Spirit World and refusing to let anyone suspect they were up to something by suddenly fighting the other students. They had been sulking by the lake at the bottom of the snowy mountains, unable to figure out how to proceed. The blonde was loudly explaining their perils to a pair of giant, bee-looking creatures with deer antlers on their heads and four pairs of wings on their stout bodies. The Spirit’s antlers kept tickling Yachi’s cheeks, but the frown stayed on her face. She stood up, trying to will her powers to wake up, flinging her arms around and hoping for a gust of wind to appear. Nothing happened.

Oikawa looked at her desperate attempts from a nearby tree, noticing the redness in her eyes and thinking whether he should say something to cheer her up. Before he could, the giant bees rose up from the grass and flapped their wings faster than the Waterbender thought was possible. Their antlers gave off a bright yellow light and the winds around them picked up, sending most of the lake’s water flying in the form of a million tiny water drops.

Both of the students jumped up, startled, staring in awe as the bees stopped with their magic and the heavy rain descended onto the lake. Yachi turned her teary brown eyes towards her two friends and the Spirits approached her, rubbing their lit antlers onto her forehead and nudging her towards the lake. The girl closed her eyes in concentration and a smirk appeared on her lips, her golden hair moving away from her focused face as she twirled her delicate hands around her body, producing a small twister below her feet and lifting herself into the air.

Her laugh filled the air around them and Oikawa watched in amazement as the small Airbender floated towards the middle of the lake and released most of her twister onto the calm surface, creating waves that rushed towards the edges of the shore. The Waterbender never teased her about her relationship with the Spirits after that, spending the next few days searching for a Water Spirit that would share its bending powers with him. The only one that seemed interested in the brunet appeared to be a small purple seal with red freckles and long flippers. It was also the most playful and reckless being Oikawa had ever met, constantly hiding and lunging sneaky water attacks at the brunet. Nevertheless, both of them managed to get their normal powers back in the Spirit World, it was just a matter of taking them to a whole new level, something that could stand up to the Directors’ favourites. 


	3. The Winds of New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So, do you know who you’re gonna challenge?” Oikawa asked her to stop her anxious rant.
> 
> “Hmm… There’s a guy that I know is going to rank pretty high and he’s the best Airbender in our year. Bu-But that’s only if he doesn’t get a better score than me… What about you?”
> 
> “Kageyama.”
> 
> “Ehhhhhh?! I-I know you wanna prove yourself, but he will be one of the lowest ranked ones, I think… He’s only got good practical skills… Wouldn’t it be better to pick someone who sticks out with both their knowledge and battling abilities? Not to mention that no one in their right mind would challenge him, it’s like you’re asking to get beaten down…”
> 
> “It has to be him.” Oikawa had decided on the skilful Firebender weeks earlier and there was nothing that could change his mind now. Oikawa knew his reasoning was right, but he didn’t tell her the whole story. Another reason for his pick was the duel between Kageyama and Iwaizumi he had watched what seemed like years ago. If he was right, and he really hoped he was, the Earthbender didn’t forget about him. The brunet wanted all eyes on him during that match, including a pair of beautiful olive-green ones.

Oikawa almost dozed off about a dozen times in the short time he had spent with his back against a sturdy elk, its branches creating a comforting shade around the brunet. He still felt a slight throbbing in his hand after furiously writing onto the countless sheets of papers he had received. The written portion of the exam took three long hours and he hadn’t even noticed their time was over until a persistent professor snatched the papers off of the Waterbender’s desk. His head still swirled with all the information he had learnt over the previous couple of weeks, already turning into an unorganised mesh of facts he didn’t care about. He was too preoccupied with answering the questions to even think about whether he was doing well or not, completely immersed into every sentence on the printed sheets. After the exam, he had managed to get his exhausted body towards the small hut in the eastern part of the Academy, barely mustering the energy to transport his spirit into the different world due to his obvious lack of sleep.

A pair of dragon-winged sheep grazed the grass around him, their chewing noises barely preventing him from falling into a deep slumber. But he had to stay awake. Yachi and Oikawa made a promise to meet up right after their exam, as both of them wanted to go through their strategy for the following day. The results wouldn’t be announced until the practical part of the exam which keeps everyone on their toes and prevents any attempts at cheating, such as students prearranging the duels and knowing who to target a day in advance. There was no way for the two of them to predict everyone’s results, but they had a few unsuspecting kids in mind, those that were certain to either score high or were known for their fighting abilities. Those were the ones they needed to beat in order to stir up some commotion and get noticed by the Board.

“I-I’m sorry I’m late!” The exasperated Airbender ran towards him, her blond hair flying all over her face. She took a minute to catch her breath and followed the boy’s example, sitting down onto the soft grass and greeting a few Spirits that came towards her.

“Don’t worry about it. How did it go?”

“I think I misspelled a word on the 5th page and I had to switch to a different pen in the middle of page 8 because the one I had been using stopped working and…” Yachi continued talking for another five minutes and Oikawa knew she would have one of the best results in their generation as her only complaints included insignificant details such as using different pens. A part of him felt relieved that at least one of them started off as planned as he had trouble even remembering the answers he had written.

“So, do you know who you’re gonna challenge?” Oikawa asked her to stop her anxious rant.

“Hmm… There’s a guy that I know is going to rank pretty high and he’s the best Airbender in our year. Bu-But that’s only if he doesn’t get a better score than me… What about you?”

“Kageyama.”

“Ehhhhhh?! I-I know you wanna prove yourself, but he will be one of the lowest ranked ones, I think… He’s only got good practical skills… Wouldn’t it be better to pick someone who sticks out with both their knowledge and battling abilities? Not to mention that no one in their right mind would challenge _him_, it’s like you’re asking to get beaten down…”

“It has to be him.” Oikawa had decided on the skilful Firebender weeks earlier and there was nothing that could change his mind now.

“Whyyyy?? Pick anyone else. How are you even gonna battle him with your Icebending? Normally, a Waterbender would have an advantage against him, but no matter what we did, you still couldn’t learn Wat-“

“That’s exactly why! If I challenged anyone else, I’m sure half of those people would think I just got lucky or something. It has to be someone no one expects me to challenge.” Oikawa knew his reasoning was right, but he didn’t tell her the whole story. Another reason for his pick was the duel between Kageyama and Iwaizumi he had watched what seemed like years ago. If he was right, and he _really _hoped he was, the Earthbender didn’t forget about him. The brunet wanted all eyes on him during that match, including a pair of beautiful olive-green ones.

…

“Khm, quiet down now!” A tall figure in a perfectly tailored black suit exclaimed into the microphone. His haircut was simple, short and even on all sides, his jet-black hair receding slightly and accentuating his broad forehead. The speaker’s eyes were covered with a pair of classic black sunglasses, shielding him from the sun and Oikawa’s curious gaze, as he waited for the crowd of students to settle down and listen to his instructions. “We’re about to announce the results of the first portion of your Final Exam, one year at a time.” He gestured towards the large display in the middle of the main courtyard as someone turned on the screen. At first they only displayed a list without names, only showing them the achieved percentages and points, along with the maximum value for the written exam. 30%. That was as far as the written portion could get you to, the other 70% had to be earned through the practical skill test. Had Yachi stuck to her original idea, there would be no way for her to pass into the 2nd year, even if she had answered every question correctly. After a short minute, every freshman’s name was on the wide display, accompanied by their test result and attribute they belonged to.

Oikawa gasped at the list. Yachi Hitoka – 99%. _That girl…_ The Waterbender grinned at his friend’s results, knowing quite well she deserved to be at the very top of the list with a mere one point away from a perfect score. He wasn’t sure whether her accidental misspell had caused her to lose the point, but it didn’t matter. The large mass of people started murmuring in surprise, asking others who that Yachi-person was and how she had managed to get a 99%. The next name on the list was another Airbender’s, Tsukishima Kei – 97%. Oikawa didn’t recognise the name, but he saw a boy with greenish hair congratulate a taller boy with short blond hair who seemed to be anything but satisfied with his second place. The next two names belonged to a pair of Firebenders Oikawa had never heard off and didn’t care about. What he did care about was the 5th name on the list – his own. Oikawa Tooru – 91%. His mouth dropped open as the enthusiastic blonde kept shaking his hand in excitement. He didn’t even notice the moment Yachi had appeared next to him, but he was left speechless. Fifth place. His score was above 90%. He did it.

“Oikawaaaa, snap out of it!” He had never heard the young Airbender raise her voice before, but she was now trying her best to bring him back down to earth as his mind completely stopped working. He blinked a few times, trying to understand what all of this meant and how he had actually managed to cram an entire year’s worth of studies and lectures into just a few weeks. That was when he heard it. The crowd’s dissatisfaction. The accusatory murmurs. The voices of suspicion, wondering how he had cheated his way to the top. But he couldn’t blame them. He was exactly what they had thought about him, someone who wasted his time and cared about nothing and no one. Or at least that was what he _had _been.

The young Waterbender tried his best to pay attention to the rest of the list, his eyes only searching for one name. His gaze kept dropping further and further towards the bottom of the screen, his heart beating fast at the thought of everything being in vain if his opponent hadn’t even passed the exam. He finally found his target, Kageyama Tobio – 54%. _He barely even made it. _But it didn’t matter. Step One was done. Now all they had to do was win the hardest battles of their lives. No big deal.

“Yachi Hitoka, Airbender. Enter the sparring area and declare your opponent’s name and attribute.” The tall man called out, his lips pressed into a tight line as he watched the young girl’s approach with dissatisfaction. Oikawa had completely forgotten to wish her good luck and he could only encourage her with a small nod and a smile as she turned to see him one last time.

“Who do you think she’ll pick?” Oikawa heard the murmurs around him, the judgemental questions and accusatory stares directed towards the small Airbender.

“I don’t know, who’s the weakest 1st year?”

“She can’t challenge herself.” A crowd laughed at someone’s reply and Oikawa wanted to turn them into icicles.

“Tsu-Tsukishima Kei, Airbender.” She managed to produce a name in a trembling voice, but her eyes stayed fixed onto a tall blond figure dressed in yellow shorts and a red T-shirt. Tsukishima looked amused and annoyed at the same time. His lips quickly stretched out in a smirk as he stepped in front of the scared blonde and towered some forty centimetres over his opponent. Yachi looked like she was regretting her choice right away.

“Khm, we’re going to begin the first duel. You must stay inside the designated duelling area. You can use your abilities and bending, but moves that could kill your opponent aren’t allowed. Any student who tries to interfere with a battle receives a negative mark on the Final Exam.” The announcer finished with his speech and gestured to some of the professors to act as referees for the incoming matches. In case there was any doubt in Oikawa’s mind before that, he was now sure that the man speaking was a member of the Board of Directors. The Waterbender had never seen him before and he seemed to be in charge of leading the exam, as the easier tasks were carried out by professors.

The first two participants entered the battling grounds, a simple rectangular court lined with chalk. There were rocks scattered around the field intended for the Eartbenders and two canals filled with water, lining the longer sides of the rectangle. Oikawa looked around and noticed three of the same courts set up, which meant that three battles will be held at once to speed up the process. He would be the next in line as soon as one of the first three duels end.

“Begin!” The referee’s voice interrupted his thoughts and everyone’s attention turned to the weirdest matchup on the first court.

The tall blond Airbender’s expression didn’t change at all, he was still observing his much shorter opponent with his golden eyes, unable to understand why she would want to challenge him on purpose. Oikawa was sure that every other student felt the same, but his own brown eyes landed onto a familiar Waterbender whose hand was clutched into a fist, so much so that her knuckles turned white. Shimizu seemed very uncomfortable with the matchup, biting her lip and not taking her eyes off of Yachi. He wanted to watch Shimizu’s reaction to the duel, but Oikawa noticed a tall figure approaching the Waterbender, placing his big hand onto her shoulder in encouragement. He quickly dropped his gaze, right as the Earthbender noticed his stare.

Tsukishima didn’t seem like he was about to start the battle any time soon so Yachi swiped the air with her right hand, sending out a pair of crescent-shaped waves of compressed air towards her opponent. The boy smirked and cut through both of them with one swift swipe of his long arm. The crowd chuckled at the smaller girl’s weaker attacks and someone started betting a lot of money on Tsukishima. _Just you wait. _

The blonde swirled her hands in front of her body, creating medium-sized balls of circulating air and sent half a dozen of them towards the other bender. Tsukishima used both of his arms to create a swirling cocoon around his body, easily shielding himself from the incoming attacks. Someone complimented the young boy’s bending skills as the cocoon’s air fluctuated in sync and covered his entire body. Once his protection was no more needed, an even more annoyed face emerged from behind the swirling air and gazed at his opponent.

“Why are you doing this?” He asked Yachi, his voice cold and disinterested.

“I… I have to beat you.” The crowd exploded into laughter and Oikawa noticed her cheeks growing a warm shade of pink. If anything, her answer only agitated the tall boy as he thought Yachi was just messing with him, underestimating him. He launched an array of crescent-shaped waves, longer and wider than Yachi’s, but the girl easily commanded the air beneath her feet to form a small tornado, leaping a few metres into the air and avoiding the blows.

Tsukishima glared at her from below, his eyes looking almost menacing behind a pair of black glasses. He listened to the students screaming his name, insulting his inferior opponent. Yachi didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the split second of his hesitation, already using both of her arms to propel a powerful blast of air the size of her own body, aiming it straight towards the unsuspecting Tsukishima.

Oikawa gasped as the lanky boy quickly used his bending to lift himself into the air with a powerful jump, finding himself floating in the air at the same point as Yachi. Before his descent began, he made a summersault in the air and powerful gusts of wind rushed towards Oikawa’s friend, flanking her from both sides. She wasted no second in thinking, simply leaning backwards and letting her body be pulled towards the ground. It seemed like her opponent was readily waiting for her to land as he was already twisting his arms in the air, forming the same cocoon around the girl, using it as a prison instead of a shield. Yachi was trapped inside the swirling air, unable to break out with her weak air blasts because she didn’t have enough room to gain momentum with her arms or legs. People cheered and clapped at the display, thinking the match was already over.

Oikawa smiled to himself as the trapped Airbender closed her eyes and started writing almost undiscernible signals in the air. The only part that made sense to the Waterbender was the sign for X that she wrote with her finger right in front of herself. Not a second later and a powerful gust of wind came from above her, blowing Tsukishima away towards the other side of the field. His legs were only a metre away from the white line. Yachi was freed from the air prison and stood confidently on her feet as the confused boy kept looking around in search of answers. The crowd was speechless for a moment, but dozens of students started protesting at once, looking for someone who used their own bending to attack Tsukishima.

“How did you do that?” Tsukishima gritted his teeth and stared accusatorily at his opponent.

The referee, a young Firebending professor in a pencil skirt and a short-sleeved white shirt raised her eyebrows at Yachi, ushering her to answer the question.

“S-Spirits. I used the Spirits.” She managed to mutter, but everyone around her protested in disagreement. They were saying how there were no Spirits anywhere near the Academy grounds. Others said how Spirits shouldn’t be allowed to participate in students’ duels.

“I-I guess that’s not exactly against the rules… You _are _allowed to use all of your powers and in that case-“

“It is not allowed!” The professor was interrupted by a loud shout coming from the Director as he got a hold of the microphone and ruled against the referee’s judgment. The confused professor seemed to be torn between following the rules she knew and listening to the man in the suit, but Oikawa knew she would cave in. She gave a solemn nod and returned her attention to the two duellers.

“The use of Spirits is not allowed. We will continue the battle, but Yachi-san, you cannot communicate or cooperate with them anymore.” The defeated professor exclaimed, visibly shaken by the display of power and slightly disagreeing with the way things were done. Oikawa heard someone call his friend a cheater. He wanted to yell something back, but he was too busy worrying about Yachi and whether she would be alright. Having the Spirits help her out was their best idea, as the young Airbender spent days examining the Rulebook and finding no rule against it. It was supposed to be her lucky break, assuming correctly that her opponent hadn’t bothered much with establishing a bond with the Spirit World so that they would be able to launch attacks whilst staying invisible. They didn’t count on the Directors interfering with the rules this openly, but his ruling was met with a wave of approval from the other students. Things were about to get rough.

Tsukishima seemed to stop ignoring his opponent, openly launching a barrage of air blasts and twirling in the air to create more razor-sharp air waves, but Yachi dodged all of them. Her small build, in addition to using her bending to speed up her movements, levitate in the air and move around on a small tornado, meant she was able to swiftly move across the field. Every single one of Tsukishima’s blows was carefully calculated and accurate, aiming either directly at the other Airbender or predicting where she would move to next. Even though she was able to keep avoiding his heavy blows for a few minutes, Oikawa noticed her movements getting slower. No matter how small and agile she was, continually leaping in all directions, unable to get a minute to collect herself and plan an attack, took a toll on her mentally and physically. She was panting heavily after just five minutes, using only the simplest moves to dodge Tsukishima’s attacks. He made her do a backflip in the air, already aiming a ball of air towards the place where she would be landing at, finally able to catch her off-guard and sending her body flying three metres into the air.

Oikawa wanted to yell out to her, worried she had hurt herself in the fall, but Yachi managed to prepare a small cushion of air mere centimetres from the floor. She clutched her hand onto her stomach, feeling the pain from the impact of Tsukishima’s blow. The students cheered.

Her opponent let out a small sigh, walking towards her and already writing the cocoon around her body. He was going to force her to surrender, encapsulate her, but she refused to give up. Trying to will the pain away, Yachi used both of her hands to take control of the air dancing around her body before the air prison was complete, dissipating it.

“Just give up.”

“I-I’m sorry. But I can’t.” She answered back to the tall boy, earning herself another annoyed glare, but Oikawa felt nothing but pride. She could’ve given up right then and gotten some points. Losing a duel must affect your score, but she showed everyone that she could stand her ground and use her bending against a much larger opponent. The Waterbender almost wished for her to quit, but he felt ashamed for even thinking about it. This is what they came here to do. There was no going back. She will either win, or everything they had been planning for so long will be completely useless. She had to find a way.

Yachi managed to find the strength to get back on her wobbly feet, some of the bruising on her arms and legs starting to become visible. Oikawa had no idea how much more invisible damage Tsukishima’s attacks had done, but his last blow had definitely weakened her. To make matters worse, she didn’t manage to land a single blow on him.

“Why do you keep struggling? There’s just so much you can do, you know? The only thing you seem to be decent at is dodging, but you’ve reached your limit. Good job on the test scores and all, but some things will never change.” Tsukishima walked towards her with a cold expression, already twirling his long arms in the air. Oikawa knew exactly what was about to happen, sharp-looking blades manifesting from thin air. The Waterbender hated the part of him that agreed with the tall Airbender, having to admit the boy’s height and long limbs proved to be great assets, creating attacks much stronger than Yachi’s. Tsukishima levitated the compressed blades with ease, taking one last look at Yachi’s unyielding face which made him make up his mind. He sent all of them towards his opponent.

Oikawa held his breath, helplessly watching as the first air-dagger was only milliseconds away from piercing his friend’s arm. The small blonde’s eyes were closed, her face expressionless and body completely still. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, the gentle surface of her exposed arm coming into contact with the razor-sharp wind in its most compressed form. The Waterbender waited for a gush of blood to appear from the wound, but only a small droplet of blood sheepishly appeared on her skin. The rest of the incoming daggers slowed down even more, practically crawling through the air instead of quickly flying towards the blonde.

She opened her eyes, giving away a strikingly painful expression as the air around her came to a stop. Everything was still and motionless, the out-of-place attacks Tsukishima had sent still levitating a few centimetres away from her. Yachi’s golden hair framed her small face, not a single strand sticking out or dancing around her head. Oikawa felt fear creeping up his spine as even taking one breath required effort. The air around them came to a complete stop. She stopped all of it.

Tsukishima broke through the initial shock and already started taking control of a whir of air to produce some wind, but Yachi’s sadness was replaced by something else, something much stronger. She used the entirety of her body to twirl around beautifully, every molecule in the air readily obeying her command and concentrating in the middle of the field. Before anyone had a chance to blink, a giant tornado was launched towards Tsukishima and he had a split second to make a decision. Try to take control of the crazy swirl of air towering some 10 metres above him, or to duck out of the way. His body lurched to the side just in time as the tornado started ripping apart the ground he had been standing on. The crowd covered their ears as the winds created a loud and angry roar that Oikawa had never heard in his life.

“I have to change it. If we stay this way… It’s no good. I’m sorry.” At least that was what Oikawa had managed to make out through the raging storm. The young Airbender used one hand to redirect the tornado towards her opponent, her other hand already pulling at the raging winds, dividing them. In just a few short seconds, she had created another one. Two spiralling pillars of vicious wind headed straight for the cornered boy, Yachi’s hands easily directing the tornados towards his location. Oikawa took a glance at his face – the Airbender was quickly assessing the situation and running countless simulations in his head. For someone to stay this calm when faced with a dangerous situation like this one, the Waterbender had no doubts as to how he had scored that high.

But he didn’t give up. Tsukishima used his bending to create more force behind his jump as he lurched his body in between the tornados, hoping he had created enough momentum to break through. He shielded his face with both of his arms as the outer parts of the windy formation cut into his skin and visibly slowed him down.

He managed to hit the ground and roll forwards to lessen the blow, his hands already raising for a counterattack. Unfortunately for him, Yachi had already dispersed her tornados and created a small ball of tightly compressed air. The ball kept shrinking until it was only a few centimetres in diameter and she sent it out with a quick flick of her finger. Tsukishima tried deflecting the blow, but the air expanded right before reaching the boy, creating a strong repulsion and knocking him backwards. Yachi’s tactic of air compression and quick expansion acted almost as a bomb, creating an unstoppable gust of wind propelling even the nearest observers a few feet away. Tsukishima’s body was outside of the white line.

“Winner – Yachi Hitoka, Airbender!” The referee had managed to get back on her feet, quickly recovering from her surprise. Before Oikawa managed to understand how it happened, a group of older Airbenders awarded their younger colleague with an applause and smiles of recognition. Yachi couldn’t even acknowledge what any of that meant as her body gave in and she started falling towards the ground. Oikawa already felt his arms pushing against some of the other students, trying to get to his friend before she hit the ground. Everyone gasped as her unconscious body levitated in the air for a few seconds before the Waterbender had managed to gently lower her onto his hand. Something nudged his cheek and he stretched out his hand to pet the still-invisible Spirit levitating around them. Never before had he managed to sense them out in the open and still couldn’t see them outside of the Spirit World, but his own spirit knew exactly where Yachi’s little saviour was.

Oikawa looked down at his friend’s peaceful face, feeling pride and joy at the same time. _She did it. _No matter what any of them said, no matter how impossible they made it for her. After all of that, Yachi was sleeping peacefully on the hard surface of their battlegrounds. He wanted to give her all the time in the world to rest and recover her strength, but Healers already approached the court and wished to bring her to a medical unit. Oikawa helped them lift her light body on top of a carrier and watched her leave the premise, every student’s eyes staring at the small Airbender who had just managed to create multiple Master-level Airbending moves.

The Waterbender lifted his gaze up towards the screen. The results had already been updated and a huge grin appeared on his face. Yachi Hitoka – Combined Results: 94%. But he knew the numbers meant nothing in comparison to what everyone had witnessed on the field. He could already feel the heavy grasp controlling their lives begin to weaken.

“Oikawa Tooru, Waterbender. Step up and declare your opponent.”

It was his turn. He had to win so that when Yachi woke up, he could tell her the good news. But in order to do that, he needed win against the prodigy.


End file.
